If
you have not already done so, please check out Day #82 for Part 1 of
How I lost 45 pounds in 4 months. This is the second of three posts
discussing how I physically and mentally prepared for this tour.

Step 4: Hit the gym

This
was the hardest part. I went to the gym every morning. I missed
only one day when my back went out and I was forced to spend the day
in agonizing pain on my couch. There were several television shows
that I was behind on and would have easily binge watched them in a
weekend. Instead I decided that I was not allowed to watch any TV
(except for live MLB Network programming) outside of the gym. I
loaded up my iPad and spent an hour and a half at the gym every day.
My routine was to do 35 minutes on the elliptical – mock if you
want, but my knees and back will not allow me to do anything else –
followed by 30 minutes of weight training and then 20 minutes of work
on my abs. I alternated between chest, arms and legs depending on
the day.

Step
5: It's the little things

Whether
it was standing on the subway, taking the stairs instead of the
escalator or picking a restaurant that was six blocks further just to
get some extra exercise, I was always mindful of keeping active.
After 15 years of living a sedentary lifestyle, I made sure to always
be moving. If I was reading something on my laptop, I would pace
around my apartment instead of sitting on my couch. If it was a nice
day, I would walk the Brooklyn Bridge or around Central Park. These
little choices in and of themselves do not mean much, but over time
they start to add up. More importantly it put me in the right
mindset and made me feel energized.

Step
6: Stay focused and keep it to myself

When
I started this new regiment on January 3rd I genuinely did
not think that it would last. In fact, I just went back and read
what I wrote on that day and will include an excerpt from the entry

January
3rd, 2013

“
I am going to try and go
to sleep at a reasonable hour, but I never know if that will work
anymore. I'd like to be able to do this everyday but I am skeptical
that I will make it even a week. I am debating whether or not to
tell anyone that I am doing this or not...”

I
did not end up telling anybody about my lifestyle changes until
months later. I did not do this for anyone else but myself. There
was no outside pressure and nobody to impress or disappoint. I lost
45 pounds in four months. I have some before and after pictures, but
I will not subject you to seeing my naked flabby torso. I started
this tour weighing in at 130 pounds.

Latest Podcast

Rounding Third may be coming to an end, but a new baseball season brings a brand new podcast. In this, the final episode, I introduce you to The Clubhouse Podcast and talk a bit about my favorite ballparks.